Seems Like Only Yesterday . . .

What a wonderful day! First of all, it was about 60 degrees today . . . heaven. Taking off from work made for such a memorable day for the birthday girl AND for me. She drove to school this morning (with me, since she has just a learner's permit) and we stopped on the way at Chick-Fil-A and sat in the car and ate and laughed. Off to a good start. I then came home, ran around outside with Gideon and baked the cakes. I drove back to school to take her to lunch. Everyone at school had made a big deal about her birthday, and those who hadn't yet wished her a happy sweet 16 were reminded to do so after seeing me drive up with the car all decorated. Someone at school recommended a Mexican restaurant close by and it was, hands-down, the best Mexican I've ever eaten. Good food and lots of talk about what kids at school did for her special day. I had to pick her up at the end of the school day, so rather than go all the way home, I dropped her off after lunch and then went to some area flea markets and antique shops. It was at a last-minute jaunt into a Goodwill that I found this mini-cake stand. How perfect would this be for the cakes I had just made! And for $2.02! (And do you know why Goodwill uses that funky pricing system? I always have wondered and so I asked the checkout girl . . . it seems that people will come in and take a crayon or pencil and try to change the price on an item, so by making a price $2.02 or $6.26, the first and last number always match and so it is harder for a person to change it.)

Anyways, here is the other cake I made on the new stand. How cute is this? And, by the way, for about the most colorful cake and cupcake decorating you can do, get the cans of spray on color. Using Wilton Food Color Mist Spray is as fun, fast and gratifying as spray painting a piece of furniture. There's no taste. Just lots of tacky color. It makes me feel like I'm in a cheesy beach town watching the guy in the kiosk spray painting names and beach scenes on license plates and t-shirts.

Picked my girl up after school, who was all smiles and claiming this to be the best day of her life, and we headed home. One of her best friends had arranged with me to come into the house before she got home from school so that she could decorate Harleigh's room and leave a gift. Home to lots of yellow balloons and one of those BFF posters with pictures of the two of them and words cut out of magazines (cool, fabulous, best buds, friendship) — who wouldn't love a handmade gift like that. Had plans to go out to dinner, but girlfriends beckoned and sad to say, at the age of 16, spending time with girlfriends often trumps an evening of dinner with Mom and then home to watch American Idol. She was grateful for the day, and I sent her off with lots of hugs and kisses (thank God she still does that willingly in public!). I love seeing her happy. Especially on a day that means so much to her. And you know what? Today means everything to me, remembering 16 years of Harleigh. Good God, am I blessed.